Description

Benefortin tablets contains benazapril which is one of the best drugs for treating heart failure in dogs or kidney failure in cats. It has the advantage over other formulations of being exceptionally palatable, so the tablets are much easier to give. This means that dogs and cats are more likely to receive the full benefit of the medication bought for them. Benazapril is known to be bitter tasting, but these tablets remain palatable even when crushed into food. Other tablets with the same ingredient are not swallowed as readily by animal patients and can be "spat out" without owners being aware. Benefortin can be given alone, or combined with other medications and special diets to best control the effects of the illness being treated.

Dosage and administration

Oral use once daily, with or without food. Cats: The dose is 0.46 mg benazepril/kg bw per day, corresponding to 0.50 mg of benazepril hydrochloride/kg bw per day according to the dosing table below:

Benefortin Flavour 2.5mg tablets for cats

Weight of cat (kg)

Number of tablets

2.5-5

1 tablet

>5-10

2 tablets

Dogs: The dose is 0.23 mg benazepril/kg bw per day, corresponding to 0.25 mg of benazepril hydrochloride/kg bw per day which may be doubled if judged clinically necessary and advised by the veterinary surgeon, according to the dosing tables below:

Contra-indications, warnings, etc

Do not use in any dog that has evidence of cardiac output failure due to aortic stenosis. Do not use in animals known to be hypersensitive to the active substance or to any of the excipients. No evidence of renal toxicity to benazepril has been observed in dogs or cats. However, as is routine in cases of renal insufficiency, it is recommended to monitor plasma creatinine and urea during therapy. The efficacy and safety of benazepril has not been established in cats below 2.5 kg body weight. Benazepril hydrochloride is well tolerated in the target species. Transient reversible hypotension may occur in cases of accidental overdosage. Therapy should consist of intravenous infusion of warm, isotonic saline. In normal cats, a 10-fold overdosage daily for one year was asymptomatic. Laboratory studies in rats have shown evidence of embryotoxic effects (malformation of urinary tract) of benazepril at non maternotoxic doses. Laboratory studies in rats as well as human observations have shown evidence of teratogenicity. The safety of benazepril hydrochloride has not been tested in breeding, pregnant or lactating dogs and cats. Do not use in breeding or lactating animals or in females intended for reproduction. Benazepril reduced ovary/oviduct weights in cats when administered daily at 10 mg/kg for 52 weeks. Some dogs may exhibit transient signs of fatigue or dizziness. At the start of treatment, a decrease of blood pressure may occur. Benazepril may lead to increased plasma creatinine concentrations. Benazepril may increase food consumption and body weight in cats. Emesis, anorexia, diarrhoea and lethargy have been reported very rarely in this species. In dogs with heart failure, benazepril has been given in combination with digoxin, diuretics and anti-arrhythmic drugs without demonstrable adverse interactions. In man, the combination of ACE inhibitors and NSAIDs can lead to reduced anti-hypertensive efficacy or impaired renal function. The combination of benazepril and other anti-hypertensive agents (e.g. calcium channel blockers, β-blockers or diuretics), anaesthetics or sedatives may lead to additive hypotensive effects. Therefore, concurrent use of NSAIDs or other medications with a hypotensive effect should be considered with care. Renal function and signs of hypotension (lethargy, weakness etc) should be monitored closely and treated as necessary. Interactions with potassium-preserving diuretics like spironolactone, triamterene or amiloride cannot be ruled out. It is recommended to monitor plasma potassium levels when using benazepril in combination with a potassium-sparing diuretic as life threatening reactions are a possibility.

Pharmaceutical precautions

Do not store above 25°C. Store in a dry place. Each time an unused half tablet is stored, it should be returned to the open blister space and inserted back into the cardboard box and kept in a safe place out of the reach of children. Tablet halves should be used within 2 days.

User Advice: Wash hands after use. Pregnant women should take special care to avoid accidental oral exposure because ACE inhibitors have been found to affect the unborn child after oral exposure during pregnancy in humans. In case of accidental ingestion, especially in children, seek medical advice immediately and show the doctor this warning. For animal treatment only. Keep out of reach and sight of children.

Disposal Advice: Dispose of any unused product and empty containers in accordance with guidance from your local waste regulation authority.

Need help or advice? Contact us:

Delivery Information

How quickly do you deliver?

Under almost all products on our website is an
Estimated dispatch time, check this for a delivery prediction
specific to the item you are looking to purchase. These badges are updated live based on the stock levels we have and also those of our suppliers - so are usually very accurate, but cannot be guaranteed. In more general terms, we aim to dispatch all orders within
1 working day of receiving payment (and a prescription if required). If we cannot do so within 3 working days we will contact you by email.

What do you charge for delivery?

For UK delivery, we charge the following:

Order Total

Weight

Delivery

£0-£28.99

Under 2kg

£2.99

2kg+

£4.99

£29-£38.99

Under 2kg

Free

2kg+

£4.99

£39+

Under 2kg

Free

2kg+

Free

Prices quoted are for delivery to all parts of mainland UK except certain Scottish postcodes (where the price is higher for items sent by courier. Delivery of food abroad (including Channel Islands, N. Ireland and other islands around the UK) is charged at a higher price and free delivery is not available. Temperature controlled products, such as Insulin, are also not always subject to the standard and/or free delivery options.

For full information on our delivery charges, including prices on heavy deliveries to Scotland and abroad, see our
delivery information page.

We can deliver most items to all around the world, but prices do vary. The majority of light weight orders (less than 1.5kg) can be delivered for a flat rate of £10. For an accurate estimate of the delivery charge, please put the items you require in your basket and use the "Estimate Delivery" system on the
shopping basket page (you only need to enter your country and postal/zip code) for a quick quote. For deliveries to the USA you may need to go to the checkout page and enter your full address to get a quote (as some services need your state in order to quote too). For more information on international deliveries, please see our
delivery information page.

Delivery of aerosols

Due to air freight restrictions aerosols cannot ever be sent abroad by Royal Mail. We appreciate your understanding.

Delivery of temperature controlled items

Some products, such as insulin and frozen food, need to be delivered in insulated packaging to prevent them from getting too warm (or too cold) during transit from us to you. Purchasing any of these items in your order will result in a £1.99 charge being added to the total to cover the high cost of the insulated packaging materials. You only pay the £1.99 once per order, regardless of how many temperature controlled items you purchase in that order.

How do I cancel or return an order?

Please call us as soon as possible if you need to amend or cancel an order on 01582 842096. If your order has been processed for dispatch we will be unable to cancel or amend the order. You will however be able to return your product for a full refund*.

To return an item, you must contact us by phone or email to arrange this BEFORE posting any product back to us. We will explain the process at this stage for you.